July 24 (UPI) -- Wicked Tuna star Nicholas "Duffy" Fudge died at age 28 last week.
Fudge, the first mate on Captain Tyler McLaughlin's fishing vessel, Pinwheel, died "unexpectedly" July 19, according to his obituary.
The obituary remembered Fudge as a passionate fisherman and outdoorsman with a fearless and adventurous spirit. It also noted the star's care for the environment and for other people.
National Geographic Channel, which airs Wicked Tuna, issued a statement on Twitter following Fudge's death.
"@NatGeoChannel and @Pilgrim_Studios were saddened to learn that Wicked Tuna cast member Nicholas 'Duffy' Fudge passed away this week," the network wrote.
"Duffy was the first mate on Captain Tyler McLaughlin's fishing vessel, Pinwheel," the network noted. "We join his family and friends in mourning his untimely loss."
Wicked Tuna follows commercial fishermen in the Gloucester, Mass., area as they fish for Atlantic bluefin tuna. The series returned for a seventh season in March.
